The birthplace of the surname Peryghan is Cornwall, a rugged peninsula in southwestern England that is noted for its strong Gaelic traditions. Even though the usage of surnames was common during the Middle Ages, all English people were known only by a single name in early times. The process by which hereditary surnames came to be used is intriguing. As the number of inhabitants of Europe swelled, people began to assume an extra name to avoid confusion and to further identify them. Under the Feudal System of government, surnames evolved and they often reflected life on the manor and in the field. Although nickname surnames were rare among the Cornish, they did occasionally adopt names that reflected the physical characteristics or other attributes of the original bearer of the name. The name Peryghan is a nickname type of surname for a servant employed by someone named Perry.Perry is a derivative of the ancient Biblical name Peter, meaning rock.

Early Origins of the Peryghan family

The surname Peryghan was first found in Cornwall where they held a family seat as Lords of the Manor. By the 12th century the family had affected the Normanization of their surname to De Puryham, but it is more likely to be of Dumnonian origin, although undoubtedly that spelling is incorrect. From Puryham the name became Perriam, and then Periam, and then Peryman, then Perriman. There is no evidence that the name Perryman has any connection whatsoever with the wine, perry, a maker or seller of perry. [1]CITATION[CLOSE]Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6) There is solid evidence, however, that Periam and Perryman are connected, both bearing a similar family name Coat of Arms from about the 15th century. This whole group of names are most likely connected with the Cornish St. Perran as we shall see later in this treatise.

Early History of the Peryghan family

Early History of the Peryghan family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Peryghan research.Another 469 words (34 lines of text) covering the years 1237 and 1593 are included under the topic Early Peryghan History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Peryghan Spelling Variations

Peryghan Spelling Variations

Cornish surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. The frequent changes in surnames are due to the fact that the Old and Middle English languages lacked definite spelling rules. The official court languages, which were Latin and French, were also influential on the spelling of a surname. Since the spelling of surnames was rarely consistent in medieval times, and scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded rather than adhering to any specific spelling rules, it was common to find the same individual referred to with different spellings of their surname in the ancient chronicles. Moreover, a large number of foreign names were brought into England, which accelerated and accentuated the alterations to the spelling of various surnames. Lastly, spelling variations often resulted from the linguistic differences between the people of Cornwall and the rest of England. The Cornish spoke a unique Brythonic Celtic language which was first recorded in written documents during the 10th century. However, they became increasingly Anglicized, and Cornish became extinct as a spoken language in 1777, although it has been revived by Cornish patriots in the modern era. The name has been spelled Perryman, Peryman, Perriman, Periman, Perrieman, Perieman, Perreman, Pereman, Peryam, Perriam, Periam, Puryham and many more.

Early Notables of the Peryghan family (pre 1700)

Early Notables of the Peryghan family (pre 1700)

More information is included under the topic Early Peryghan Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Peryghan family to the New World and Oceana

Migration of the Peryghan family to the New World and Oceana

Study of Passenger and Immigration lists has revealed that among early immigrants bearing the Peryghan surname were: Richard Perryman with his wife and daughter Anne who settled in Barbados in 1679; William Perryman settled in Nevis in 1670; Henry and Richard Perriman settled in Maryland in 1774.